May 15, 2019

Dear Residents,

In just a few short weeks we will be celebrating the unofficialstart of summer! Please join us for the Memorial Day Parade,hosted by the Andalusia VFW Post 8198. The festivitiesbegin at the 2800 block of Bristol Pike (near East CoastCycle) on Monday, May 27th at 10am and continue southtowards Mill Road, ending at the picnic grounds. I have so much respect for the men and women of the ArmedServices and the sacrifices they make every day keepingAmerica safe. We live in uncertain times, so pleaseremember to thank a veteran- past and present- for theirnever-ending service to our community, and our nation.

As always, it is my hope that you will continue to find the information contained in ourmonthly newsletters useful. Enjoy the approaching holiday. It’s an honor and privilege toserve as Bensalem’s Mayor. Talk to you next month.

God Bless ,

Joseph DiGirolamo, MayorBensalem Township

Upcoming Holiday Closing

In observance of Memorial Day, the Bensalem Township Municipal Building will be closedon Monday, May 27th. Thank you to all of the men and women who have paid theultimate price to protect our freedoms. You will never be forgotten.

Building & Planning

Knock Knock! Who's There?

A common topic of discussion heard throughout thecommunity is in relation to solicitors / peddlers andwhether or not they are allowed to knock on your door. InBensalem Township, anyone who wishes to peddle theirgoods and/or services via door-to-door methods mustapply, and be approved for, a Peddler / Solicitor Licensethrough our Building & Planning Department.

Want to know who is currently approved for theselicenses? A current list- which is constantly evolving as new requests for licenses aresubmitted- can be found here . If you have any questions about how to apply for thislicense, or would like to inquire about the validity of a solicitor in your neighborhood,please call 215-633-3646.

Opening Night: June 5th

Opening Night is just around thecorner, and we have so much goingon! Join us on June 5th as we kick offthe concert season, thanks to ournaming rights partner PennCommunity Bank, with The DoobieOthers, a tribute to the music of TheDoobie Brothers.

Aside from being the host site for the 2019 Relay for Life of Bensalem, now in its 20thyear, The PCBA is proud to once again also be a collection site for the canned goodsthat will be used in the luminaria bags at the event on June 8th. These luminaria bagsare purchased in memory, honor, or support of someone who has lost their battle withcancer; in honor of those still fighting; and also recognizes those who are caregivers.The cans hold the bags in place, along with the candle, as they are displayed around theamphitheater grounds during the evening ceremony.

Collection boxes will be located at all entry points on Opening Night. The canned goodscollected will be donated to local food banks such as Redeemer Lutheran Church,Libertae right here in Bensalem, and YWCA Bucks County. For more information onRelay for Life Bensalem, please contact Denise at 215-512-3434 orRelay2010@hotmail.com.

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

We have just about 2 weeks left until Opening Night of the 2019

Summer Concert Series at the Penn Community BankAmphitheater on June 5th, and we can’t wait! We have anawesome line-up of artists, a variety of food trucks, our “Ultimate”50/50 raffle and just an all-around good time planned for youeach and every Wednesday night this summer. And it all takesplace right here in your own backyard!

Besides a blanket or chair to sit on, you’ll also want to be sure to bring your appetite thissummer! Returning this year to keep your bellies full will be Goodnoe Farm DairyBar with their handmade ice cream, fried oreos, funnel cakes and other tasty treatsalong with Have a Ball and their addictive ball creations! Joining us for the first time thisyear is The Chuck Wagon from Chuck’s BBQ and Chick-Fil-A Bensalem will be herewith their delicious Original Chicken Sandwiches. And of course, our Snack Stand will stillbe operating every week, thanks to the Bensalem Lions Club. Are you hungry yet? Weare!

Last, but certainly not least, I want to take this opportunity to thank our amazingsponsors. These are the businesses, many of them small & local to Bensalem, that areactive in our community and choose to give back by supporting a program that bringsyou quality live music every Wednesday evening at an affordable price. You can showyour appreciation of their support by patronizing these fine establishments:

• Penn Community Bank• Trifecta Sporting Club• Parx Casino• Radisson Hotel Philadelphia Northeast• Chick-fil-A Bensalem• Comcast• PECO• The Pigott Agency• Riccio Family Pharmacy• Jack’s Deli• Liberty• Brown's Family Shoprite

We can’t wait to rock with you on Opening Night. See you on June 5th!

Internet Safe Exchange Zone

In my two years as Community Affairs Manager, I’ve fielded quite afew calls and emails from residents inquiring about whether or notwe have a safe, secure, and monitored location for people tocomplete internet sales, much like those that are done via theincreasingly popular online yard sale sites. Bensalem CommunityAffairs, in partnership with Bensalem Police and OfferUp, ispleased to announce our new “Internet Safe Exchange Zone”located just outside of the Bensalem Police Department.

“Our ability to partner with Bensalem Township allows us to bringa collective and focused effort and investment to the well-being ofthis community by improving the security of in-persontransactions,” said Natalie Angelillo, VP of Community at OfferUp.

“Our MeetUp Spots program helps serve the much needed purpose of providing an easyand free way to establish a community location that is public, surveilled, well lit, andmonitored by the police department. OfferUp is proud to have a partner in BensalemTownship to support our commitment to building trust in communities throughout thecountry.”

While police will not get involved in sales, the next time you wish to conduct business witha stranger, you can have peace of mind knowing that Bensalem’s finest has your back byproviding you with a surveilled place to complete your transaction. Look for thedesignated Community Meetup Spot clearly marked just outside of the police station. If

you have any questions about this new meetup spot please call me, Amanda McDonald,at 215-633-3630 or email me at amcdonald@BensalemPA.gov.

Young Lungs at Play: Keeping Our Kids Healthy!

Young Lungs at Play is a program aimed to helpcommunities create tobacco-free parks, playgrounds andrecreational areas for children. Many Pennsylvaniacommunities have adopted outdoor tobacco-free policiesat parks, zoos, athletic fields, playgrounds, trails and evencity sidewalks and streets to help protect both children andthe environment. Bensalem is proud to join these efforts tokeep our kids safe, healthy and smoke-free!

When visiting the parks, playgrounds and athletic fieldsthroughout our community, please remember that theseare places where children and babies are prevalent, and they should remain smoke-freeat all times. If you make the decision to smoke, please be respectful of others and gosomewhere either completely off of the property or in your car with the windows up, so asto not offend others. The children of Bensalem thank you!

Bensalem Township Police Memorial

Public Works

Keeping Our Streets Clean

Street sweeping continues through mid-September. Here’s where they’ll beover the coming weeks:

May 20 - May 24Village Green, Eddington, Upper Cornwells Heights

May 28 – May 31*

Wellington Estates, Brookwood, Executive Park, Valley Meadows*The Township will be closed on Monday, May 27.

June 3 – June 7Woodridge East, Glen Ashton Farms, The Clusters, Timber Lane, The Coves, Mill CreekFarms

June 10 – June 14Andalusia West, Rywall Park, Lower Cornwells Heights

A complete schedule can be found here on our website. For questions about streetsweeping, or anything for our Public Works Department, please call 215-633-3980 or215-633-3733.

Trevose Horticultural Society

Hens, Chicks and Eggs

“Hens, Chicks and Eggs” will be the featured program atthe monthly meeting of the Trevose Horticultural Society atthe Bensalem Senior Center (1850 Byberry Road) at 7pmon Tuesday, May 21st.

In a show-and-tell format, the Society's President- CookieWoodson of Feasterville- will discuss the care and feedingof backyard chickens accompanied by hens and chicksfrom her flock. She will also share some fun facts abouteggs. Woodson is an avid gardener of fruits, vegetablesand herbs with a special interest in pollinators and birds. She enjoys teaching hergrandchildren and neighborhood children about planting and harvesting crops andcaring for her backyard chickens. A pastry chef and floral designer, Cookie’sarrangements include a "sweet touch" of cookies, pastries, and fruits.

All meetings are open to the public, but a donation of $4 is requested from non-members. For further information, please contact 856-866-9163.

Municipal Term of the Month

Zoning Ordinance

The Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (MPC), allows municipalities, such asBensalem Township, to adopt a Zoning Ordinance and outlines the procedures to do so.In summary, the Zoning Ordinance contains the following:

• A map identifying the zoning designation of each property in Bensalem Township.• The zoning requirements for each district, such as the setbacks from a property line tobuild an addition, minimum lot areas, and lot coverage requirements. • The permitted uses in each district, such as uses permitted in the various commercialdistricts and industrial zones. • Parking requirements for uses, such as retail stores and office buildings . • Requirements related to sheds, fences, pools and detached garages. • Regulations with respect to signage.

The Zoning Hearing Board is the board that hears variance and special exceptionrequests. For example, if your addition proposes a fifteen (15) foot side yard setbackand you are required to have twenty (20) feet, you can file to the Zoning Hearing Board.

Buzzin' Around B-Town

Thank you to Cub Scouts Pack 128 fromSt. Ephrem’s for helping us to officially

open the Community Garden on Saturday,May 11th. We can’t wait to see the fruits of

your labors… literally!

Join us on Saturday, June 8th at the Penn

Girl Scout Brownie Troop 2025 and GirlScout Daisy Troop 22046, both from St.Andrew’s School in Newtown, recently

donated 200 boxes of cookies to our PALProgram and the Bensalem PD. Thank you

for your generosity, ladies!

Some of our 2019 Community Gardenparticipants from Associated ProductionServices in Trevose getting to work on

their plot.

Congratulations to Officer Samuel Ladd onhis recent swearing in as one of thenewest members of the Bensalem

Township Police Department. Thank you

Community Bank Amphitheater for the20th Relay for Life Bensalem!

for your commitment of service to yourcommunity.

www.BensalemPA.gov